Making Minie balls

[David LaPell]

I have a slew of old lead roundballs that I picked up in .50, .54. and .58 caliber. I don't have a .50 or .54 anymore, and my Enfield doesn't like roundballs, so I was thinking about melting them all down into Minie balls for my Enfield. I was going to order the mould this week from Dixie, so what is all involved in recycling old lead roundballs into Minie balls? Can i just drop them in and flux away?

 

[rich e]

David, Yep thats all, just keep skimming the slag off the top, all the dirt and impurities will come to the top, so keep skimming it off till your molten lead is clean. I'm surprised your enfield doesn't shoot round balls vary good, I have an old Euroarms 2 band that shoots them pretty good, just need to find the patch thickness it likes.

 

[Bucks Owin]

I have a slew of old lead roundballs that I picked up in .50, .54. and .58 caliber. I don't have a .50 or .54 anymore, and my Enfield doesn't like roundballs, so I was thinking about melting them all down into Minie balls for my Enfield. I was going to order the mould this week from Dixie, so what is all involved in recycling old lead roundballs into Minie balls? Can i just drop them in and flux away?

As long as your alloy isn't too hard. Minies need to be soft to work... :wink: